Inessa pressed herself against the pillar. Fadrique was looking for her again. This was three weeks in a row now. She mentally prepared herself to do this every Sabbath. It was easier to think that way instead of hoping for a break, because there might never be a break.

She heard a pair of voices before she saw who it was. She stiffened, trying to figure out from the tone whether it was Fadrique. Just as she remembered Fadrique had a higher tone, Indenuel and Tolomon walked past her. She gave a tiny sigh of relief until Tolomon turned, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.

“Me again!” Inessa said far too loudly, holding up her hands to show she had no weapon. “It’s just me, Tolomon.”

Tolomon’s face relaxed before he gave a short bow. “Forgive me, Inessa. One can never be too careful.”

“You would actually identify me before you tried to kill me, right?” Inessa asked.

“Depends on the situation,” Tolomon said.

Inessa was horrified by this, though she tried not to show it.

“I think what he’s trying to say is you should be safe in most cases,” Indenuel said even as he stared Tolomon down.

He nodded. “As long as you don’t sneak up on him on the battlefield, I won’t kill you.”

Inessa let out a breath. “Well, that’s a relief.” She used the opportunity to stand closer to the men before looking back into the gathering. Fadrique was talking to Navir, so he was distracted for now, though his eyes bounced over the crowd, still trying to find her. Inessa backed away enough to hide by the pillar.

“What are you doing out here?” Indenuel asked.

“It gets loud in there at times,” Inessa said.

Indenuel smiled. “Yeah, I can relate to that.”

Martin’s conversation came back to her, and she went through the list she made of what she needed to say to keep Indenuel focused on other things. “So, Warrior Indenuel, have you thought any more about how you’re going to end this war?” Inessa asked.

Just as she suspected, Indenuel’s entire body language changed. Where he was once semi-relaxed and enjoying her company, his shoulders tightened, and a look of horror crossed his face he couldn’t hide, even as he tried. “I guess, um…”

The weight of responsibility. Nothing could be more terrifying. Inessa took a step closer, pretending she couldn’t see how much this topic scared him. “I mean, how do you deal with that kind of pressure? Our country has been at war for over two decades. Do you have any idea what you’ll do to end it?”

Indenuel swallowed, and she could almost see the sweat starting to form on his forehead. “Um, no, no I don’t.”

“Huh,” Inessa said, letting the silence stretch on. She waited for the silence to get so uncomfortable that Indenuel would have to excuse himself.

“Do you have any ideas?” Indenuel asked.

Inessa kept her face unreadable. He’s still going to stick around. Alright, then.

“Me? Have any ideas?” Inessa asked.

“Well, yeah. I mean, I may be the one foreseen to end the war, but I can’t be the only one who ends it. I’ll need help from others,” Indenuel said.

Inessa gave him a strange look. Maybe if facing his responsibilities wasn’t scary enough, she needed to give him a better idea of what to be terrified of.

“Well, do you know anything about politics?” she asked.

“Um, no.” The nerves were back, and he fiddled with the collar of his jacket. “No, I don’t.”

Alright, here goes. “Well, at this point it’s clear that if we defeat Kiam, we will be the world power, so it’s just a matter of keeping it. True, the Oraminians are our contractual ally, but no one can deny we were quite brutal to them before they made the switch. And the same with Zimoro and Dengria. We have the peace treaty, but because we are still at war, it doesn’t feel like a peace treaty, since we take what we can to defend ourselves. It is a reminder, every harvest season, for Dengria, Zimoro, and Oramin that they are ours. And if we don’t treat them with a little trust and respect, they might break the treaty and help Kiam win the war. There were some whispers that was what they would do, but with you here, they’re going to wait and watch for a little longer before they try anything. Who knows? If we don’t treat our ‘allies’ like their own countries, it might be Santollia against the entire world in six months.”

Indenuel nodded when she finished, looking even more horrified. She waited, staring at him, reading his emotions, as a growing dread filled her. That wasn’t horror. He, somehow, looked both impressed, scared at the information and even more enamored with her. “My question is how we could possibly unite the world after such a horrible war? The war will end, yes, but shouldn’t we strive for peace? Peace for everyone?” Indenuel asked.

“I…” Inessa dropped her gaze. This wasn’t working. She had to admit her lie. In her defense, no man found her attractive after a lengthy speech about politics. She was in uncharted territory here. “Look, Warrior Indenuel, the truth is…” He waited. She threw her hands in the air. “I lied. I took a gamble and lost. I don’t know anything about politics. I’m a concubine. I can’t even read. I’m quoting what I have heard Adosina say.”

Indenuel looked confused. “I don’t get it.”

Inessa played with the sleeves of her dress. Jina would have screamed at her for doing something so humanizing, but she couldn’t help it. “Adosina is exceptionally brilliant. One of the things she’s done to keep annoying men from asking to court her is start talking politics. It turns them away quick.”

“Wait…” Indenuel studied her closer. “You’re trying to manipulate me into not… not wanting to court to you?”

It was through sheer will that Inessa kept herself from wincing. She didn’t mean to reveal that. Inessa said nothing, and Indenuel smirked like he had won something. “You thought revealing you have a brain would somehow make me not develop feelings for you?”

“I…” Inessa’s mouth went dry. It should have worked. It honestly should have. Adosina, back when they were friends, had helped her perfect her lecture. Many men were turned away when she rattled off about politics or the great philosophers of the day, or even books on literature, even though she herself could not read. They didn’t expect her to talk back, they expected her to be stupid and pretty.

Her mind rushed to find something. Maybe stupid and pretty is what Indenuel would be turned away from. “I guess it’s a pity, then, that I do not have this brain you wish to find so attractive.”

Indenuel chuckled, his head bobbing enough for a lock of his hair to fall in front of his face. “I don’t know, Inessa. Knowing exactly how to manipulate a man into not having feelings for you takes quite the brain indeed.”

Wants to be a protector. Wants to rescue me from my situation. Reluctant hero who wants to impress a woman he likes. Assumes he will impress me by complimenting my brain instead of my beauty. He’s falling, and he’s falling hard. It won’t work. He’s not even that attractive.

Indenuel reached up, running a hand through his hair most likely to try and fix the lock that fell in front of his face. Instead, the lock of hair found more to join on his forehead, but he didn’t seem to notice. He smirked again. Her heart fluttered in a way it never had before.

Oh, good God. He is that attractive.

“I…” Inessa tried to find an escape. This was wrong. She became aware of how close they were standing. It wasn’t illegal, but she was afraid of what it might look to others. They were the only ones out here, and Tolomon was doing his duty as a lower-class citizen to not interrupt their conversation, but there was something in Tolomon’s face. He knew exactly what was going on. Her alarm grew. “I shouldn’t be here.” She turned away and headed toward the banquet hall. “I should return. See what… what my husband requests of me,” she said, making a final reminder to Indenuel about her place.

“Of course,” Indenuel said, not sounding alarmed. He gave a small bow. “Thank you for spending some of your time with me, Inessa.”

“You too, Warrior Indenuel.”

“Just Indenuel is fine.”

Inessa didn’t answer. She didn’t dare spend another moment near him. She didn’t know what was going on with her, but she was going to force herself to stop it. It was a distraction at best, the destruction of her family’s wealth and position at worst.

“Can we go back to where you had the social graces of a rock?” Tolomon muttered to Indenuel, loud enough for her to hear.

Inessa walked inside, disappearing among the group of elites, touching her face, trying to breathe easily. Carmen, one of Inessa’s concubine sisters from when she was with Fadrique, grabbed her arm and lead her toward a room.

“Carmen, what are you-”

“Shh!” Carmen said.

She pushed Inessa in the empty dark room and closed the door. Inessa froze, somehow knowing exactly what this meant. She waited, her heartbeat the loudest thing in the entire room, as she somehow heard his footsteps despite everyone else dancing, talking, and laughing.

“You girl. I’m looking for Inessa. Did she come by this way?” Fadrique asked.

Inessa covered her mouth to try and keep herself from breathing too loud.

“I haven’t seen that girl in weeks,” Carmen said.

Fadrique grunted before his footsteps disappeared. It was a stark reminder to Inessa as to why she couldn’t afford a distraction. There was more than her family’s wealth on the line.

Carmen opened the door and Inessa waited for Carmen to give her a nod before she left the safety of the darkened room.

“Thank you,” Inessa said.

“We all hate you for leaving us behind to deal with him,” Carmen said.

“So why rescue me?” Inessa asked.

Carmen’s face was impossible to read. “Because this is a reminder to us all why it’s so dangerous to leave in the first place.” She left, disappearing among the crowd. Inessa kept an eye on Fadrique, watching him, her lesson learned. She could not be distracted. Her life depended on it.

***

Indenuel was not excited when Captain Luiz proclaimed he was ready to try combat mode in the next couple days. It did not help at all that the day he was supposed to try combat mode was also the day he would spend the morning with Fadrique.

Indenuel tried not to push himself so hard. With the first week done, the High Elders were getting more into the harder concepts of the powers. Martin was teaching him how to use the healing power to help ease anxiety in others. Navir had him connecting to multiple trees while he was blindfolded and put through an obstacle course, using the trees as his eyes. The strangest was Dalius, who had him working with the military, using the clothes of murder victims to help solve old cases. Dalius said it was both to stretch his abilities to talk to the dead not related to him, and to do some good in the city. There might have been one or two subtle hints about the evils of murder and how the murderer will always get caught, either in this life or the next. Indenuel tried not to be bothered by his words.

Every day he was trained mentally, then pushed physically. Indenuel improved the barest amount with the sword, but it was not lost on him when he went from exceeding the High Elder’s expectations to doing his best to learn the basic stances at the training fields. When Captain Luiz told him to focus, everything else left his mind. When Captain Luiz told him where to go, he went. He reviewed the different strokes and parries, to the point where his confidence would build. But as soon as he was placed against a recruit to try them out on another human being, even without pretending to be in combat, he was still disarmed at an embarrassingly fast rate, and his self-confidence shattered.

And then there was Fadrique. He continued to insist Indenuel learn the basics. Despite pushing himself to his mental limits every day with the other High Elders, Fadrique droned on and on about the proper way to stand and hold hands to truly unlock the power. Suffering through his condescension was far more mentally taxing than the other three High Elders.

“Your foot is not straight,” Fadrique said.

“That is as straight as it gets,” Indenuel said, trying not to snap. They were standing in the courtyard, surrounded by the old trees.

“Your entire leg needs to straighten. Stop slouching,” Fadrique said, poking Indenuel’s knee with his foot.

Indenuel moved his leg out of the way. “Do you want me to pass out?”

“Careful of your tone, Indenuel. Weather control is known to be stronger when there is a sense of comradery between the individuals who are trying to change it,” Fadrique said.

“Which is why I usually work alone,” Indenuel mumbled, though clearly not quiet enough.

“You do not ‘work alone’ as a weather controller. It is a beautiful aspect of the gift. It is the only gift where you must rely on others to help you use it. A person is rarely powerful enough to-”

Fadrique was cut off by a clap of thunder. It began to rain, hard. Indenuel, who had been rubbing his forehead, dropped his hand and gave a shrug. “I guess, as the proclaimed Warrior, I am that rarely powerful person. Can we stop learning basics and move on to more complicated aspects of the power?”

Fadrique’s glare was dark. “Master the basics, and you’ve mastered the skill.”

Indenuel reached out a hand to catch the raindrops as they pounded on the leaves above them. It was getting harder to hear, but Indenuel considered it a blessing. “Fadrique, I’m not interested in playing this game, so just tell me why you hate me and-”

“High Elder Fadrique to you, Indenuel,” Fadrique said.

His eye twitched as he tried to smile. “And that’s Warrior Indenuel to you, sir.” Fadrique didn’t bother to hide his anger. He began to sputter words that were incoherent. The rain fell harder. “You must be intimidated by me. Is that it? The other three High Elders are in such awe, but you act like you are better than me,” Indenuel practically shouted over the storm.

“Humility is an essential part of weather control!” Fadrique managed to get out. “Everyone joining hands to change the weather must be in perfect sync with each other.”

Indenuel pointed up toward the heavens, both of them soaked in the downpour. “Can you even stop that by yourself?”

“You are not listening to me, Indenuel!” Fadrique said.

“Simply giving the same respect as you give me, Fadrique.”

“This lesson is done. Clearly you need to learn humility, so go to Captain Luiz.”

Indenuel snorted. “Do you need me to clear this rain up all by myself before I go? Or can I leave that in your capable hands?”

“I am perfectly capable of clearing it up myself!” Fadrique screamed, his face red.

“Because it’ll only take me a moment. Are you-”

“How dare you! I am a High Elder! I am stronger than you’ll ever be in weather! It is what I’ve devoted my life to!”

“Well fine. I shall eagerly await this storm to be over with. Farewell, Fadrique,” Indenuel said, giving a bow before heading into the meditation room.

“High Elder! You must address me by my proper title! How dare you! You and your country ignorance! You must treat me with respect!”

Indenuel crossed the meditation room before closing the door, still hearing Fadrique’s shouts.

Tolomon was there, looking confused, but followed Indenuel through the worship hall.

“What was that?” Tolomon asked.

“Fadrique being insufferable,” Indenuel said. “Let’s go have a long lunch. Hopefully the storm will end by then.”

Lightening lit up the stain glass windows as rain dripped off his clothes onto the worship hall, which he should feel bad about, but he didn’t care. A guard was already starting to get towels out.

Indenuel walked down the steps of the Cathedral and into his carriage, refusing the umbrella offered to him by his coachman.

“Is he this obnoxious to everyone?” Indenuel asked.

“He ignores me,” Tolomon said.

Indenuel sighed, the chill of the storm, mixed with the wet clothes, causing him to shiver. “Which is obnoxious in its own way.”

“High Elder Fadrique is powerful, despite what you say. There’s a reason he was one of the youngest to serve. One of, because if Leon the Healer wasn’t murdered in Oramin, High Elder Fadrique would have gotten his robes before High Elder Martin.”

Indenuel tried to slick back his hair, but he had spent way too much time in the rain for his hair to keep the combed back style his servants had given him that morning. “I don’t think my weather power will grow that much. I’ll just have to rely on the other three.”

“You could learn a lot from High Elder Fadrique,” Tolomon said.

“He hasn’t stopped this storm yet,” Indenuel said.

The rain continued to pound on top of the carriage. Maybe he should stop it, just so he wouldn’t have to fight in the rain. The idea of pretending to be in combat in this kind of weather didn’t comfort him.

“High Elder Fadrique may have some pride, but honestly, you do too,” Tolomon said.

Indenuel’s attention was on the window, both annoyed and happy that the rain continued to fall. “Is this your way of reminding me that I am a stubborn ass?”

“Indeed, it is,” Tolomon said.

Indenuel snorted. “Well, I’m not going to submit to his bullying. I wasted far too much time in Mountain Pass doing that.”